Thirdly, There is considerable concerning them the measure of
4.70 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART IL.
their attainments, or what, through due exercise and holy diligence, they may be raised unto. Now, this is not absolute perfection: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after,” as the apostle speaks, Phil. iii, 12, But there is that attainable which those who pretend highly unto perfection seem to be strangers unto. And the state of our affections under’a due ex- ercise on heavenly things, and in their assimilation unto them, may be fixed on these three things:— .
1. An habitual suitableness unto spiritual things upon the pro- posal of them. The ways whereby spiritual things are proposed unto our minds are various. They are so directly in all ordinances of divine worship ;—they are so indirectly and in just consequence by all the especial providences wherein we are concerned, by our own thoughts and stated meditations;—they are so by the motions of the Holy Spirit, when he causeth us to “hear a word behind us saying, This is the way, walk ye in it;” by holy converse with others; by all sorts of occurrences. And as the ways of their proposal are various, so the times and seasons wherein a representation of them is made unto us are comprehensive of all, at least are not exclusive of any, times and seasons of our lives. Be the way of their proposal what it will, and whenever be the season of it, if our affections are duly improved by spiritual exercises, they are suited unto them and will be ready to give them entertainment. Hence, or for want hereof, on the other hand, are tergiversations and shiftings in duties, prone- ness to comply with diversions, all to keep off the mind from closing with and receiving of those spiritual things which it is not suited unto. Wherefore, as unto the solemn way of proposing spiritual things unto our minds which is in and by the ordinances of divine worship, when men have a»prevalent loathness to engage in them, or when they are satisfied with an outward attendance on them, but not enabled unto a vigorous stirring up of the inward man unto a holy, affectionate converse with spiritual and heavenly things, it is because they are carnal. When men can receive the fiery darts of Satan in his temptations into their bosoms, and suffer them to abide there, yea, foster and cherish them in thoughts of the lusts that they kindle, but quickly quench the motions of the Spirit stirring them up unto the embracing of heavenly things, they are carnal, and car- nally minded. When providences of concernment, in afflictions, trials, deliverances, do not engage the mind unto thoughts of spiritual things, and excite the affections unto the entertainment of them, men are carnal and earthly. When every lust, corruption, or passion, as anger, envy, displeasure, at this or that person or thing, can divert the mind
from compliance with the proposal of spiritual things that is made unto it, we are carnal.
CHAP. XVIII.] THE STATE OF SPIRITUAL AFFECTIONS. 471
Tt is otherwise when our affections are conformed unto things spiritual and heavenly. Upon every proposal of these, the mind finds a suitableness unto itself, like that which a well-disposed appetite finds unto savoury meat. As “the full soul loatheth an honey-comb,” ~ so a mind under the power of carnal affections hath an aversion unto all spiritual sweetness. But spiritualized affections desire them, have an appetite unto them, readily receive them on all occasions, as those which are natural unto them, as milk is unto new-born babes.
2. Affections so disposed constantly find a gust, a pleasant taste, a relish, in spiritual things. They do in them “ taste that the Lord is gracious,” 1 Pet. ii. 3. To taste of God’s goodness, is to have an experience of a savoury relish and sweetness in converse and com- -munion with him. And persons whose affections are thus renewed and thus improved do taste a sweet savour in all spiritual things. Some of them, as a sense of the love of Christ, are sometimes as it were too hard for them, and overpower them, until they are “sick of love,” and do “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Neither is there any of them, however condited with afflictions or mortifications, but is sweet unto them, Prov. xxvii. 7. Every thing that is wholesome food, that is good nourishment, though it be but bitter herbs, is sweet to him that is hungry. And when by our affections we have raised up in us a spiritual appetite unto heavenly things, however any of them in their own nature or in their dispen- sation may be bitter to flesh and blood,—as are all the doctrines of the cross,—they are all sweet unto us, and we can taste how gracious the Lord is in them. When the soul is filled with earthly things, the love of this world, or when the appetite is lost by spiritual sick- ness, or vitiated and corrupted by any prevalent sin, heavenly things are unsavoury and sapless, or, as Job speaks, “like the white of an egg, wherein there is no taste.” There may be in the dispensation of the word a taste or pleasing relish given unto the fancy, there may be so unto the notional understanding, when the affections find no complacency in the things themselves; but unto them who are spiritually minded unto the degree intended, they are all sweet, savoury, pleasant,—the affections taste them immediately, as the palate doth meat.